The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus and method for managing a plurality of image data, and a computer readable memory.
Conventionally, an image processing apparatus such as an electronic filing system or the like, which saves and retrieves input images, stores input images and retrieval information such as keywords and the like in correspondence with each other. Upon search, a keyword is input, and if the input keyword matches a stored keyword, a corresponding input image is retrieved.
However, in this prior art, since the search range includes all registered keywords or all saved images, many unwanted images are output as matched images. For example, when images that contain graphs, tables, figures, and the like are to be retrieved, and a search is done using a word contained in their captions, if some registered keywords and saved text contain the word to be retrieved, all these images are retrieved. That is, more images than necessary are retrieved, and much time is required for retrieval.
When an image as a match is displayed on the screen, the entire image cannot normally be displayed on the screen, and the user must scroll the displayed image to see a graph or the like in that image. When the entire image is displayed within the screen, the image must be displayed in a reduced scale. For this reason, in order to grasp the details of a graph, figure, table, and the like, which require a high-resolution display in the displayed image, the user must display them in an enlarged scale. In any case, the operability is poor.
The present invention has been made in consideration of the aforementioned problems, and has as its object to provide an image processing apparatus and method, which retrieves image data having a region with at least a predetermined attribute in accordance with a designated query condition, can output that region alone as a retrieval result, and can improve operability upon retrieval, and a computer readable memory.
In order to achieve the above object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, an image processing apparatus for managing a plurality of image data, comprises:
input means for inputting image data;
segmentation means for segmenting the image data input by the input means into regions with a predetermined size;
analysis means for analyzing contents of the regions segmented by the segmentation means;
coupling means for coupling neighboring ones of the regions segmented by the segmentation means if the regions have the same analysis contents obtained by the analysis means;
determination means for determining an attribute of a region group obtained after the coupling means executes coupling is determined on the basis of an analysis result of the analysis means; and
management means for categorizing the image data into regions in units of attributes on the basis of an analysis result of the analysis means and a determination result of the determination means, and managing regions in each category together.
In order to achieve the above object, an image processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, an image processing apparatus for managing a plurality of image data, comprises:
management means for managing the image data by categorizing the image data into regions in units of attributes;
designation means for designating a word which serves as a query condition;
extraction means for extracting a region having a predetermined attribute from the image data managed by the management means;
matching means for matching the word designated by the designation means with characters in the region extracted by the extraction means; and
output means for outputting image data having the region with the predetermined attribute on the basis of a matching result of the matching means.
In order to achieve the above object, an image processing method according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, an image processing method for managing a plurality of image data, comprises:
the input step of inputting image data;
the segmentation step of segmenting the image data input in the input step into regions with a predetermined size;
the analysis step of analyzing contents of the regions segmented in the segmentation step;
the coupling step of coupling neighboring ones of the regions segmented in the segmentation step if the regions have the same analysis contents obtained in the analysis step;
the determination step of determining an attribute of a region group obtained after coupling is executed in the coupling step is determined on the basis of an analysis result in the analysis step; and
the management step of categorizing the image data into regions in units of attributes on the basis of an analysis result in the analysis step and a determination result in the determination step, and managing regions in each category together in a storage medium.
In order to achieve the above object, an image processing method according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, an image processing method for managing a plurality of image data, comprises:
the management step of managing the image data in a storage medium by categorizing the image data into regions in units of attributes;
the designation step of designating a word which serves as a query condition;
the extraction step of extracting a region having a predetermined attribute from the image data managed in the storage medium in the management step;
the matching step of matching the word designated in the designation step with characters in the region extracted in the extraction step; and
the output step of outputting image data having the region with the predetermined attribute on the basis of a matching result in the matching step.
In order to achieve the above object, a computer readable memory according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, a computer readable memory that stores program codes of image processing for managing a plurality of image data, comprises:
a program code of the input step of inputting image data;
a program code of the segmentation step of segmenting the image data input in the input step into regions with a predetermined size;
a program code of the analysis step of analyzing contents of the regions segmented in the segmentation step;
a program code of the coupling step of coupling neighboring ones of the regions segmented in the segmentation step if the regions have the same analysis contents obtained in the analysis step;
a program code of the determination step of determining an attribute of a region group obtained after coupling is executed in the coupling step is determined on the basis of an analysis result in the analysis step; and
a program code of the management step of categorizing the image data into regions in units of attributes on the basis of an analysis result in the analysis step and a determination result in the determination step, and managing regions in each category together in a storage medium.
In order to achieve the above object, a computer readable memory according to the present invention comprises the following arrangement.
That is, a computer readable memory that stores program codes of image processing for managing a plurality of image data, comprises:
a program code of the management step of managing the image data in a storage medium by categorizing the image data into regions in units of attributes;
a program code of the designation step of designating a word which serves as a query condition;
a program code of the extraction step of extracting a region having a predetermined attribute from the image data managed in the storage medium in the management step;
a program code of the matching step of matching the word designated in the designation step with characters in the region extracted in the extraction step; and
a program code of the output step of outputting image data having the region with the predetermined attribute on the basis of a matching result in the matching step.
As described above, according to the present invention, an image processing apparatus and method, which can retrieve image data having a region with at least a predetermined attribute in accordance with the designated query condition, can output that region alone as a retrieval result, and can improve operability upon retrieval, and a computer readable memory, can be provided.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.